International Federation of Journalists Africa, organized a conference dubbed “African Journalists Leaders’ Conference” at the Alisa Hotel in Accra, Ghana.
The International Federation of Journalists Africa, which seeks to protect the welfare of journalists and the work of journalism, organized a conference dubbed “African Journalists Leaders’ Conference” at the Alisa Hotel on the 1st and 2nd day of June, 2021.
The conference was attended by the president of the GJA and his team, director of the International Federation of Journalists – Africa Regional Office Pa Louis Thomasi Gambia), President of West African Journalists Association Peter Quaqua, and other internationally recognized journalists like Omar Faruk, Said Mmanga (Tanzania), Abass Tahir (Chad), and other Ghanaian journalists.
The conference was divided into different sections featuring different panelists from different parts of the continent. Each panelist was given the opportunity raise their concerns and also make suggestions on how to counter the issues raised. Other participants on the floor were also given the opportunity to express their views.
The Unions discussed issues like challenges journalists are facing, especially in the wake of the covid-19 pandemic, and the inculcation of effective work from home in the African media sector. They also came up with strategies to help solve these problems such as affiliating with other local or national unions like Trade Union and football associations. They also encouraged the involvement of young journalists into executive roles in the various journalists’ associations or unions in the local and international platforms.
According to the Director, Pa Louis Thomasi, they have successfully conducted surveys in 12 different countries in the Union including Nigeria, Gambia, Tanzania, etc. and came up with the results that, most young journalists venture into online journalism after graduating from school because they find it difficult to secure employment in the traditional media.
-Director of IFJ Africa Regional Office
The union also looked at ways to promote online journalism by training online journalists or in other words bloggers to be holistic journalists. A participant also recommended the creation of scholarships for journalists who would undergo such programs.
The union also promised to organize another program somewhere in the month of August in Accra once again in relation to the problems discussed and the suggested solutions given by participants during the conference
Here’s a slide of some of the pictures from the conference. A video would be attached below soon….
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